Speaking to the media, the stand-in skipper compared the T20 format to the Premier League in England due to its unpredictability.

“T20 is such a format where any team can win on that particular day. The game can change in a span of one over, it can slip away. On a given day, any team can beat anyone. How do I explain it? It’s like the English Premier League. Some teams may be stronger, but anyone can win on a given day,” Rohit stated.

The Mumbai batsman, who had stated that India are not the favourites in the tri-series, said the tournament allowed his side to test their bench strength in the run-up to the 2019 ICC World Cup.

“It’s always important to know your bench strength. We’re lucky that we have got quality players who are waiting to do well. They have been consistently performing in A tours, Ranji Trophy, IPL. It’s the right time to blood them. We want to see how they play here and not rush them in ICC tournaments directly as we don’t want them to be taken by surprise. We want to see where they stand as individuals,” he said.

India have rested several big guns for the tournament apart from Kohli. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, MS Dhoni and Hardik Pandya have all been given a well-deserved break from cricket with several youngsters getting a chance in the Nidahas Trophy.

That has not gone down too well with Sri Lanka head coach Chandika Hathurasinghe who expressed his disappointment with India’s move to rest the big stars.

“If you go by the ratings, India is the No1 team, so they always start ahead of the other teams. Whoever comes for India is a very strong team. We have to start well because we haven’t been doing well at home,” Hathurasinghe said.

“We can’t control their selection. We are playing the India team so whoever they play on that day we prepare for them. If the stars are there it’s good for the spectators, but unfortunately at this stage, they’ve come with a different team,” he added.

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Long overdue regulation changes to Twenty20 cricket can help balance game's books

West Indies star Darren Sammy is one such man who enjoys lucrative T20 career.

Wake up and smell the coffee, is the saying. And it must have been a strong one (with an extra shot) for the ICC to have finally thrown some weight behind initial plans to restrict Twenty20 cricket’s growing power.

The Guardian‘s exclusive report this week has revealed cricket’s governing body will meet in Kolkata next month to discuss a series of proposals, which will help to regulate the 20-over format’s lust and operate tighter controls on the movement of freelance cricketers.

For lovers and fighters to save Test cricket, this is a welcome shot in the arm.

Among anticipated rule changes, all domestic leagues could face having to pay 20% of a player’s contract value to their home board as mandatory compensation for a cricketer’s tournament involvement, say in a PSL or Big Bash, while those under the age of 32 could be restricted to only being allowed to play three domestic T20 leagues every year.

Stars like Darren Sammy, Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels might be affected, with the West Indies Cricket Board being one of the chief instigators behind the push for tighter directives, given the full ICC member has fallen victim to player exoduses for too long.

England and Australia are apparently behind the proposals but it remains to be seen whether India will exercise their say, given the BCCI prohibits its international stars from appearing in tournaments outside of the Indian Premier League, in huge part due owing to the extravaganza’s lucrative TV deal.

These changes are a good thing to try and level the playing field between all formats, increasing the fair circulation of cash flow in a game where too many fingers are in too many pies.

Ahead of the inaugural Test and one-day international leagues set to begin in 2019, there’s no time like the present with much of the onus on offering a bit of payback to cricket boards that have invested a lot in player development but been disregarded for dollar signs elsewhere. Indeed, the way things are going at present doesn’t breathe sustainability.

Anything to properly monitor the work of hired guns in cricket is essential but it’s going to need an almighty whack, and more, from the powers that be to breach a glass ceiling that has been covered in cement for a long while now.

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CCTV footage showed Warner apparently turning on De Kock as the players walked up a narrow staircase leading to the dressing rooms during the tea break on Sunday.

Vice-captain Warner had to be restrained by his team-mates as he appeared to lose his temper, reportedly over a remark about his wife Candice, although the South Africans blamed him for sparking the argument.

The incident is in the hands of match referee Jeff Crowe.

“The incident was discussed between the two team managers and the match referee last night and it is now in the hands of the on-field umpires and the match referee,” Cricket Australia said on Tuesday.

“Both teams were reminded by the match referee of the spirit in which the game should be played.”

The controversy has divided opinion, with Warne calling on the players to avoid “personal” comments while also urging them to patch things up.

“Chat, banter, sledging has always been a part of any series between SA & Oz. Both sides always give it out,” he tweeted.

“Respect is the key & and I hope nothing personal was said to any player towards anyone from either side. Get on with it – stop the whinging!”

Former England captain Michael Vaughan suggested Warner had a reputation as a sledger and it was only a matter of time before insults were hurled back.

“Correct Warney….but it’s clear plenty of personal nonsense has been spoken & the man in question I hear from many has been doing it for a while so I guess someone eventually was going to touch a nerve with a response,” he said on Twitter.

South African manager Mohammed Moosajee also blamed Warner.

“There were words said out on the field. If you are saying something you’ve got to take it and that’s the opinion of Quinton,” he said.

Australian great Adam Gilchrist also took to Twitter to voice an opinion, calling the spat “ugly”.

Ugly scenes in Durban. Can only assume something very personal has been throw at @davidwarner31 for this type of reaction. Not a good look all round. #SAvAUS